Of a Different Pelt
by Lady Lynell
Summary: Gabriel has made good on his promise to give the pack "new life" away from the troubles in Maryland. However, there is a whole new breed of trouble awaiting the healing loup-garou pack in their new homestead, threatening more than just their secret.
1. Chapter 1

_Blood racing, heart pounding, the chill of the night air useless against the heat radiating about her entire body. There were people around her, _her_ people. Their faces were undistinguishable, their scents muddled, but she could tell that it was her friends and her family that all huddled around her, staring at her as if though looking for an answer. She had none to give; no words of wisdom for their waiting ears. None of them moved. Still as statues, they just stared, and yet somehow their silence had her ears ringing to a high pitch. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do?_

"_Vivian?" Aunt Persia. Vivian turned in the direction of the elderly woman's voice, but she couldn't pinpoint her in the crowd. She said nothing, but instead just looked around nervously, thinking maybe the wisest of their pack would be able to lead her in the direction she was expected to go. "Vivian, what do you want to do girl?" There was a sense of someone drawing closer, and Vivian pulled back with a feral growl that surprised even her. She was protecting something, albeit she had no idea what. However, the low growl let her know that she was in her wolf form, and that the figures crowding in around her were those of her pack, but they were not changed. Why was she alone?_

Gabriel…_ Vivian pleaded for her mate, uselessly, as she could sense he was nowhere around. But where was he? Someone else stepped forward, and Vivian took a step back, another snarl ripping through her jowls. She didn't want to be touched; she didn't want to be around her loved ones. The air felt wrong, and she knew then that she had to escape. But was she outside? Would she be able to get very far? That was a stupid thought. She was in wolf form and the others still human. With her advantage of being the fastest of her pack, this would be a non issue. She had to get away. She had to protect… whatever it was she was protecting, and there was ferocity in her that set her impulses into overdrive. All she had to do was…_

_Run._

_

* * *

_

Vivian woke with a start, not unlike every other morning that month it seemed. Her stomach retched with the sudden bolt upright, and for a moment her world was spinning and she began to wonder if she had truly escaped the dream. The swelling in her throat subsided momentarily, leaving her feeling groggy and unbalanced, but otherwise a lot better than just the few seconds that had preceded the sudden upstart. She blinked, her green eyes trying to fight off the sleep that still lingered there in the orbs before she looked around and took a deep, relieving breath. The air was chilled and crisped thanks to the open window that was directly to her right. The white curtains spilled across her nightstand, making it nearly impossible for her to make out the exact time of morning. The sun wasn't up, but the smell of dawn was in the air and Vivian soaked it in with another deep breath. Her sheets were wrapped around her legs, but the blanket had been completely discarded, lying in a small pool of green on the floor next to her, along with one of her pillows.

"Yeah, it was a rough night," a groggy voice groaned out from beside her. Gabriel began to sit up on his knees, his tanned skin stretching against his tired muscles. Vivian watched before resting against the headboard of the large bed, closing her eyes. Apologies would be futile, much like a 'bless you' after someone's sixth or seventh sneeze. This had been commonplace between the couple over the past few weeks, maybe even over a month… Vivian couldn't quite remember when the dreams had started. "Dreams again?"

Vivian deemed the question rhetorical, and thus stayed silent, breathing in slowly and trying to shake the nauseas feeling that was slithering around in her stomach like an eel. Her whole body felt out of sorts, each part disconnected from the other, but all seemingly working against her. In fact, another few hours of sleep didn't seem half bad at this point, though she knew any attempt at sleep would be futile. Instead, she replayed what little of the dream she could remember in her head as Gabriel came to sit next to her, his broad shoulder grazing against her bare chest as he let out a small sound just to break the silence. His hand laced against her thigh, drawing small patterns against her soft skin. Vivian knew the new set of chills taking hold of her had nothing to do with the open window, and she smiled gently, if only to give him some sense of relief. Her hand found his, lacing her fingers through his own. This small gesture seemed to invite Gabriel forward, his breath coming to the crook of her neck as he nipped at her collarbone playfully. "Down boy," Vivian let out, finally, opening her eyes to look down into those dark blue orbs of his. "Don't start something you can't finish."

Gabriel's hand, still connected with hers traveled further up her thigh until it was in the tight crevice where thigh met hip and torso where he let one fingernail trail the sensitive skin, making Vivian's body tighten and the obnoxious feeling in her stomach intensify, mixing with a whole new set of torrid physical responses. A growl could be felt swelling at the bottom of her throat, but she kept it back, instead using her own hand to guide his away from his playful attentions to rest on the small expanse of sheets between them. Gabriel looked back up at her. "…Are you pouting?" Vivian asked a little bewildered. Gabriel's face hardened once more to his its normal stoic look and he pulled back a little bit. _That would be a yes, _the wolf queen surmised, grinning. Gabriel mumbled something before sliding away to his side of the bed, sitting on the side and letting his hands rub at his face before standing in all his naked glory. The sight was enough to take any woman's breath away, and had Vivian been feeling a little better, she would have taken advantage of what any other woman would have paid _big_ money for. Instead, she settled for watching.

For lack of a better description, Vivian's mate seemed… out of place for their current setting. Standing well over six foot tall with a dark complexion, dark hair, and a natural broodiness set about him, Gabriel would never be given the title 'country boy.' Whereas Vivian was lithe and petite, Gabriel was large and strong. His naturally bronzed skin seemed out of place with the North Eastern state norm, but he carried it well, just as he carried well his normal 'uniform' of a tight fitting black t-shirt and dark washed blue jeans that were snug in all the right places. Vivian bit at her lip subconsciously as she watched Gabriel loop through a belt around his trim, toned waste, and it was only then that she became aware that he was looking back at her. His dark curls shadowed his eye, but Vivian could swear that she could still see the glint there. "I'm helping Ralph put a new roof on the shed today," he said, still watching her as he clasped his belt buckle and then stood lax. "Probably be gone a good portion of the day, maybe into the evening if the insurance guy shows up to talk about the shop."

He had told Vivian all of this last night, and this allowed his mate to let her eyes wander about him and her imagination run wild. She watched as he advanced her, and she pulled the sheet up around her bare chest, sinking into the pillows left on the bed as if though trying to edge into a corner. When he was looming over her, she simply smiled up at him, the sick feeling in her stomach subsiding only for the moment as their lips met. As usual, it was a forceful kiss. Gabriel was always forceful, even with the situation didn't call for it. And anything intimate between the two of them carried elements of their personality. The two were volatile together, but it was doubtful that either of them would have any issues. Biting at his bottom lip, Vivian urged Gabriel closer, his hands on either side of her, curling into the sheets. "I don't think Ralph expects you any time soon," she murmured into his mouth before tugging him hard on top of her.

* * *

Esmé was sauntering around the kitchen when Vivian finally emerged for the morning. At this point the sun was high in the sky, and it threatened to be a fairly temperate day. Her stomach had finally settled, but it threatened to squelch again when she smelt the heavy scent of what was probably the morning breakfast Esmé had _attempted _to put together for Tomas – her lover. "Mom," she said, simply, before slinking over to the refrigerator and looking for something – anything – that would negate the effects of the burnt meat and eggs.

"Good morning," Esmé answered back, grinning in her lime green nightgown, leaning against the countertop sink in front of the window, a cup of coffee in her hands. "Rough night?" The New England style cabin that Gabriel had ascertained for him and Vivian's family did little in the ways of privacy, including the 'sounds of the night' as Esmé had so deemed them one morning a few weeks back. For a moment, Vivian wished that she could tell her mother that it had been Gabriel _and_ Vivian making the muffled sounds Esmé had heard, but then she thought better of it.

"A sixteen year old girl discussing her love life with her mother is about as taboo in our culture as in any other," Vivian quirked, pulling out a large carton of orange juice, not bothering to get a glass. She could taste Gabriel on the rim, enticing her to drink more.

"That's not what the indigenous say," Esmé replied, downing the rest of her coffee before running the sink. "I don't understand what the big deal is. If it was a secret you wouldn't be so… rambunctious about it."

The big deal was that Vivian's mate was someone whom her own mother had tried to seduce and actually _fought for_, almost losing her life in the process. It made things more than just a little awkward on so many levels, but Esmé seemed oblivious to the discomfort she _should _have been feeling. _That's my mother for you…_ "We're not rambunctious, mom. We're… motivated."

Esmé said nothing, and instead just lifted an eyebrow before turning back around to the sink to begin scrubbing at the soaking dishes. Vivian avoided anymore eye contact before heading into the connected living room, the large deck doors opened to let in a chilled breeze and the scent of the outdoors. Gabriel had really done right by them, and the pack had quickly acclimated themselves to the New Hampshire environment Gabriel had settled them in. Though the weather was cooler in the fall (especially in the late fall as it was), they all seemed to be happier here, less cramped. They had all feared that after Rafe and Astrid's act of rebellion, Gabriel would lead them around on steel leashes and monitor their every movement and that their new lives wouldn't be their own. However, when it came to outside of the 'pack land' that the rest of the Maryland insurance money had bought, the different families were responsible for their own space and their own renovations. Vivian had discussed it with her mate once, and he had claimed that after the ordeal and treachery he knew that those still in the pack _wanted_ to be there and that it was more them holding each other together than him. Gabriel symbolized order, their family symbolized unity.

Vivian thoroughly enjoyed the small piece of land that Gabriel had taken for himself and Vivian's family. Although it was fair game for the rest of the pack to come and go, it was completely private to the rest of the world. Vivian had almost forgotten what it was like to live out in the country, but this place brought back those delightful memories. They had close to two acres of land, a good portion of it wooded. It wasn't sufficient for running full scale, but it suited their fancy for their whims. The spacious backyard held a lot of room for potential, but it hadn't taken priority over the close to three months that they'd been here and probably wouldn't be touched until next summer. Neither Esmé or Vivian were the gardening type and instead they focused their own efforts to inside the house. The cabin was said to be close to three hundred years old in the kitchen and living room, the rest of it being an add on. It smelled of cedar and pine, and stood spacious and wide. With only the two bedrooms, it wasn't unusual for there to be random blankets on the couches or chairs in the living room. Tomas and Esmé occupied the one bedroom on the upstairs loft, whereas Vivian and Gabriel took the master bedroom just across the hall. Vivian enjoyed having her own bathroom immensely, and even though the cabin was spacious she found it easy to gain her own privacy if she needed it.

She felt as if though she needed it now. Vivian heard Tomas enter the kitchen, and the sounds of Esmé's giggles ricocheted through the house. It was a surprise to Vivian and, well, everyone that Esmé had even allowed Tomas to follow them to New Hampshire. Esmé was known solely for her flings since Vivian's father – Ivan – had died in a fire almost two years ago, but Tomas seemed to be sticking around. _He's alright enough, _Vivian mused, watching them, _but sure as Hell not my mother's type_. Tomas was known for his deflection of conflict of all types, and allowed himself to be dominated – a far cry different from Ivan whom had been pack leader before his demise.

"Gabriel said that he'd be gone most of the day!" Esmé called out just as Vivian hit the stairs. "So I guess that leaves you to entertain yourself all day…" When Vivian didn't answer back, Esmé continued. "Does that mean you can help me stain the banisters today? Tomas got the stuff last night!"

_Then why can't Tommy boy help you do it?_ Vivian snapped, mentally, edging up the stairs, using the banisters in question. "Sure," Vivian answered, before scooting up the stairs towards her room, deciding to attempt at another small nap.

An hour and a half later, both Vivian and Esmé were up to their elbows in dark wood stain. They tried their best to avoid slipping and sliding on the plastic sheet they had down to protect the already finished wood floors, but it was a poor attempt and Esmé had growled in frustration more than a dozen times as she lathered on the foul smelling color. Her wild blonde hair was pulled back into a long ponytail, mimicking Vivian's. From the distance of the bottom of the stairs, the two of them could pass for sisters, a fact that Esmé prided herself on. The two of them, since Ivan's death (and possibly even before) shared a more sisterly bond than mother and daughter as it stood, anyway, and so Vivian had gotten used to her mother's adolescent antics and had even grown to accept them.

The relationship between mother and daughter had grown significantly stronger since their move to New Hampshire. Though most thought that Vivian's taking Esmé's place as pack alpha would have done more harm than good, Esmé seemed proud to have passed along her "crown" to her only child. And what little words of advice Esmé could give, she gladly did, and Vivian accepted all of it with a grain of salt. Esmé may have come off as flaky, but there was no doubt that when her and Ivan had ruled the pack they had done so with grace and had actually done as well as any alpha couple could have done what with the circumstances that they had to deal with concerning The Five and Axel.

Communication was at an all time low today, though, between the two females. After the first half hour of one word answers and grunting, Esmé had gotten out the radio and the sounds of rock filtered between them, assuming the place of actual conversation. Vivian couldn't help it, though, as her stomach was twisting and turning and possibly even turning completely upside down under her skin. Her head was spinning thanks to the fumes and all she wanted to do was get the job done. Esmé had no issues with working as quickly as possible, either, but after awhile put down her brush with a "whew" and wiped her manicured hand against her tight fitting white t-shirt, the dark stain making marks against her taut stomach. "Well, Viv, I think I deserve a break. Why don't we go into town and get Renetta to whip us up something?" Esmé didn't cook. Ever.

However, as soon as Esmé turned around and took one look at her daughter, the façade that Vivian had been trying to hide behind crumbled around her. "Fumes," Vivian snapped.

"Oh baby, you don't look so good…" Esmé cooed, staving off her advance as Vivian ducked down and put down her brush. The younger _loup garou_ then wiped her hand against her forehead which was now beaded with sweat.

"Fumes," Vivian reiterated. Then, even if her voice had been convincing (which is was not) Vivian's actions betrayed her words as she wavered for a moment before going limp on the stairs, nearly tumbling down them all if not for Esmé's reflexes, keeping her daughter from further injury by catching her.

"Vivian?" "Vivian!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Okay ladies and gentleman… here it is. The first chapter. Remember that reviews _**are**_appreciated. I haven't been back into writing for quite awhile, so be gentle.

If you'd like to contact me, personally, however I _do_ have MSN (as long as PMs on here). My MSN is _x_she_dreams__ and I am ALWAYS open to conversation about just about anything.

Also, I wanted to let you know that not only do I write fanfiction for Blood and Chocolate, but I also roleplay Vivian Gandillon on MySpace. I know that this isn't for everyone, but if you're interested just let me know because I'm always looking for new volunteers to play along. You can find that page here: .com/x_moonlit_secret

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

Meg.


	2. Author's Note

Dear Readers:

I apologize that it has been over a month since the second chapter of my story has been published. Unfortunately, the newest addition to my family (a small kitten by the name of Nimue) ate through my laptop's power cord. Until I have saved up sufficient funds to buy a new laptop (because I'd rather just go and do that – now – rather than buy a new power cord) I'm not able to get to any of my files. Nor am I allowed access to a computer on a regular basis.

Please forgive me, and understand that I will be getting back to this story A.S.A.P. And also know that I appreciate your support more than you understand. Your reviews have been great, and don't worry – I have something even better in store for you.

Peace be with you all!

xoxo,

Meg


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